Everybody Must Get Sconed! Royal Tea Service at Powel Crosley Estate

(Sarasota, FL) Simply Gourmet is taking afternoon tea to a whole new level. In March, the Sarasota-based catering firm will feature a traditional Royal English tea service on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, March 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, and 28 at 2 p.m., at the Powel Crosley Estate, 8374 N. Tamiami Trail, in Sarasota. Tea will be served in the exclusive upstairs living area of the mansion overlooking the bay. Tickets are $32. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Crosley Foundation. To reserve, call 941-225-9122.

What is a royal English tea service?

“Every year, the Royal Family hosts an afternoon tea for about 8,000 guests at Buckingham Palace,” says Chef Larry Barrett, president of Simply Gourmet Caterers, explaining that the tradition began in 1860 with Queen Victoria. “It’s a grand and colorful affair. Men wear suits or military uniforms, and women wear dresses with hats and gloves. The 500-foot buffet table is set with a feast and there’s tea, of course.” Barrett says that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, circulate among the guests.

“The Crosley Estate offers the perfect ambiance for our recreation of this royal event,” says Barrett.

Chef Barrett is known for combining fine cuisine and wines with historical events. Most notable are his signature reproductions of White House state dinners, which feature authentic reproductions of meals served during the Kennedy and Reagan eras. “I see it as a type of culinary theater,” he says.

For more information and reservations for the afternoon teas at the Powel Crosley Estate, call 941-225-9122.

Simply Gourmet is owned by Larry and Jaime Barrett, a husband-and-wife team with more than 25 years in the culinary and events-related industry. The company caters weddings, small parties, business luncheons, brunches, corporate retreats, birthdays, receptions and private affairs in this region and in the Tampa Bay area. Known for its meticulous attention to detail and innovative style, Simply Gourmet has been featured in such magazines as Food Arts, Catersource and Food and Beverage. For more information, call Larry Barrett at 941-929-0066 or visit www.SimplyGourmetCaterers.com